Every year on the Saturday before Halloween, the St. Louis Zoo attracts thousands of children and their parents to take part in Boo at the Zoo. The zoo puts up Halloween decorations all around for all to enjoy, and various local businesses set up tables through out the zoo and give out candy to all the children in attendance for two hours. In past years the time has been shortened due to the tables running out of candy. However, this year, there is a much bigger change. Due to the construction of the new sea lion enclosure a large portion of the zoo has been closed off to the public, so the route from table to table had to be slightly changed to deal with the construction. The new sea lion enclosure is to be completed sometime in 2012. Boo at the Zoo is not just for the children however. The animals also get to have some Halloween fun. While the kids are getting their treats, the tigers and lions of Big Cat Country are receiving enrichment. Whats is enrichment? Enrichment is anything that the animals can interact with. Giant balls, pumpkins, different perfumes, limes, eggs, and raw hide bones are some forms of enrichment. At Boo at the Zoo the lions and the tigers were given paper bags filled with sheep's wool. “The animals really enjoy playing with the wool,” said zoo keeper Becky after she gave them the bags. “We always put out one for each animal, but they always want the same one,” Becky said. This is true. When ever Kubara, the African lioness, decides to play with one of the bags, her mate Ingozi is always right there to give her trouble. The same can be said of the Amur tiger sisters, Tikva, Andrea, and Jeana. Andrea is always the trouble maker. When Tikva or Jeana would have one of the bags, Andrea would be right there to chase them around the tiger enclosure. Tikva means “pumpkin” in Russian. Hopefully everyone had a good time at Boo at the Zoo. Soon the decorations will be taken down and all the pumpkins throughout the zoo will be given to the animals as enrichment. Sometime in the not to distant future Pumpkin will be playing with a pumpkin. The zoo hopes to see everyone back next year.

By Brandon Neer